Daijiworld Media Network - Chamarajanagar (SP)

Chamarajanagar, Aug 29: A close associate of dreaded brigand and dacoit, Veerappan, has been found by the police after a gap of 25 years. It is said that the accused, Shivaswamy alias Dambal Gundi (55) from Veppaade village in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, had participated in three operations launched by Veerappan.

This incident has brought back memories of cruel deeds with which Veerappan was involved. Additional superintendent of police of the district, Geetha Prasanna, said that Shivaswamy was arrested on Sunday evening from Veppade and that he has been remanded to judicial custody. She added that Shivaswamy reportedly was involved with a few criminal incidents involving Veereappan.

Shivaswamy was reportedly with Veerappan when he and his gang attacked Ramapur police station on May 19, 1992, and murdered some policemen. The second incident involves gunning down of Harikrishna, superintendent of police of Special Task Force and inspector, Shakil Ahmed in Meenyam forest area on August 14, 1992. It is said that Shivaswamy also participated in the abduction of stone quarry owner from Hanur in the district, Ramamurthy. Cases relating to these incidents were filed in Hanur, Ramapur, and Malemahadeshwara Hill police station, police personnel said.

In the 90s, Veerappan was a dreaded criminal in the area, and in all criminal acts attributed to Veerappan, a number of accused had been named by the police. Many of them including Shivaswamy had gone underground. Shivaswamy, who is originally from Jagannath Doddi village in Tomiyar Palyam on Karnataka's border with Tamil Nadu, had fled from his village after coming to know that police were hunting for him. He settled down in D G Pudoor village in Erode district falling under Banglapudur police station limits. He worked there as a weaver and lived with wife and children. After they got information about Shivaswamy, Ramapur station police inspector, Shivaswamy along with other staff, went to Veppade and arrested him.

Veerappan, who had no qualms about killing his opponents at will, and converted about 6,000 sq km of forest area in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu into a virtual fortress, had been slain by police in October, 2004. Even after so many years since his death, operations are being held to bring to book the culprits who had escaped from the clutches of law then.